NHL's Dylan Holloway Struck In Neck By Puck, Hospitalized

Scary moment on the NHL ice Tuesday night ... Blues forward Dylan Holloway was rushed to the hospital after he was struck in the neck by a puck.

The terrifying scene played out about 19 minutes into the first period of St. Louis' game against the Tampa Bay Lightning ... when Holloway got in front of a Nick Paul wrist shot down near his own goal.

The puck hit the 23-year-old right in between his collarbone and jaw -- but initially, he appeared OK.

He skated down the ice and nearly scored a goal -- although when he returned to his bench, it became clear something was wrong.

Medics rushed to his aid and held his head up. Seconds later, they laid him down on a stretcher ... and swiftly took him to a nearby medical facility.

The Blues said, thankfully, he checked out as "alert and in stable condition." His coach, Drew Bannister, added that "from what we've heard, he's doing well."

"I think the only way I can put it to you guys (the media) is if you're at work, you get a call that one of your family members is sick and rushed to the hospital," Bannister said. "Holly is a family member. That was tough."